J.GctM&lICRjdiùT HA e t lido
UPUPA EP(
Vpupa Epops, Linn. Faun. Suae., p. 37.
vulgaris, Pall. Zoog. Rosa.-Asiat, tom. i. p. «33
macrorkyncha, Landb. Syst Auir. der Vijg. Win
.—.— bifaiciata, Brehm, Vog. Deutsche, p. 213. tab.
T h e Hoopoe, a bird of great beauty, standa alone in our avifauna, unalhcd to any other u
or economy, its distribution is very general, it being found in Europe, Africa, India, ,u .
is therefore not its true home, although it is frequently seen h e re ; France, Southern «
countries bordering the Mediterranean, however, are within the limits of its range.
At Constantinople it is a bird of the market shambles, being eaten by the T u rk s ; and it
commonest of the birds o f Egypt. Those which resort to Europe in summer are probably mi
Morocco and North-eastern Africa, seeking a more invigorating climate in which to breed and
young; and the few that visit England are individuals th at have extended their search bey
natural area. The Hoopoe generally comes to us singly, seldom in pairs, and still more rarely
number». The period o f arrival is uncertain, but it is usually between April and September,
naturally suppose that this visitor from a warm climate would not proceed very far into the hi
l a t i tu d e s y e t such is the case; for many examples have occurred in Scotland, and Mr. H.
informs me that, according to Pastor Sommerfeldt, it has been killed in Finland, within tin -.
in Cunningham’s ‘ Ladakh,’ it is stated that a Hoopoe was seen on the western side o f the 1.
elevation of about 16,500 feet. The occurrence of the bird in these widely d ista n t1
it sometimes wanders from its native home. In India, China, and most r.i
is as common as in Egypt.
Doubtless many of my readers would tike to know where in l'.ti
extraordinary bird, whether it is to be looked for in the open fields, it
this however I cannot tell them. Were it one o f our regular migrant-
govern the movements of such birds, and its arrival in any given distru
as it is the lady who takes an airing in her carriage may see it by the «Nil
his dover-ley, the beachman may be startled by its appearance on the d a n *
keeper may observe it during his daily rounds; wherever it may appear, it » i
pass a long life without ever seeing one. There are counties, it is true, where •
in oth ers; these are Kent, Sussex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, and usually in the me
it appears in tolerable abundance, in others not at all. In disposition it is as t*
ance it is showy and attractive. In the hedgerow, or on the wooden fence. *
spicuously different from all surrounding birds. On the ground it
gracefulness, erecting its beautiful crest on the least excitement, pryn
their larvse, and probing with its long forceps-like mandibles into the «
disturbed, it merely tops the nearest hedge, with a flight more like
settles again in the next field. Its appearance, unhappily, h
every Hoopoe that visits our islands is shot; and in many
father to son as a trophy obtained in former jww*
To enumerate all the recorded instance
may mention two of its appearances near
J£gq.f shot one in the pleasure-garrt**.-
J . Meadows Rendel informed me that «
sington Palace Gardens one spring «
raising and depressing its crest, aw
interesting sight to one so capawt w
flight to a neighbouring garden; and
My good friend Admiral »
1859, “ We have lots of Hoopoe*; as no*
Mr. Stevenson has given » h a « «1
during the last fourteen years.
twenty-five in May, one in Aug»« »nil fiw